From freshman to senior: how students have changed

Isaac Asimov once said, "The only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change; that is the dominant factor in society today." Change is a regular aspect of life, and as life prepares to change for them upon graduation, naturally seniors may reflect on how they have changed since freshman year. Hurricane High School seniors are no exception.

When Chelsea Miller looked back on her freshman year, she realized how much she has matured. Although she loved band when she started high school, she has learned to broaden her horizons a bit more as she has grown up and found other passions. Also, she has learned to think before she speaks, which has made her quieter. Sometimes, being quiet can be a change for the better.

Miller is not the only senior who believes she has changed for the better. Aniela Armstrong also feels as though high school has been a maturing experience. As she discovered the beauty of prioritizing and focusing on the important things in life, she has become more worldly.

Armstrong expressed that she is ready to make the transition out of high school and into college. She said with a smile, "I used to be so eager to start high school. Now I'm ready to leave."

High school, sadly, does not always teach its life lessons in the prettiest of ways, though. After considering all of the changes since freshman year, Payton Boyes concluded that the most apparent one has been in the people she surrounds herself with.

Sometimes, when friendships change, it can be rough. Boyes copes with this by choosing to be around people who share the same morals as her, instead of people who will bring her down.

Raquel Moye agrees that the changes people go through in high school aren't always easy, but she's learned to take the bad with the good. In fact, she believes that many events that have shaped her as a person occurred as a result of losing people who were once close to her. Making friendships and going on mission trips have also influenced her life.

"My whole outlook on life has changed since freshman year," Moye said. "Life has become real. It's no longer a game."

If she could go back in time and give her freshman self advice, it would be to spend time on things that matter. "Don't wait until after high school to start your life. Make your life count."

Abby Crown, who believes she has become much more independent throughout her high school journey, agrees with Moye. She would also add the advice to not fill her life with so many distractions. High school can be petty, but by the time senior year comes around, a fair portion of the worries freshman may have are miniscule. Armstrong and Miller added that, for instance, how popular a person is or what boy she is currently dating no longer defines her. The years between freshman year and senior year give people substance. Those are the years where character starts being more closely challenged and defined.